Table 3.

Summary of Response to B Cell Depletion Therapy and Outcome

Patient	CK prior to therapy (IU/l)	Highest prednisone dose (mg/day)	Previous treatments	Doses of B cell depletion therapy	Lowest prednisone dose post therapy (mg/day)	Lowest CK post therapy (IU/l)	Outcome post B cell depletion and duration of remission
1	2710	60	AZA, MTX	1000 mg IV × 2 doses	20	622	Decline in CK and improvement in strength for 10 months
2	1000	160	MTX, AZA, IVIg, Plasma exchange	1000 mg IV × 4 doses	5	163	Normalization of CK and improvement in strength for 18 months
3	550	40	MTX, AZA, IVIg, MMF	1000 mg IV × 5 doses	15	126	Normalization of CK and improvement in strength for 19 months
4	1063	80	IVIg, Plasma exchange	1000 mg IV × 1 dose	50	22	No outcome data; died 1 month later from pneumonia and CHF
5	2900	80	MTX, IVIg	1000 mg IV × 4 doses	10	963	Decline in CK for 12 months, re- dosed for increased CK
6	2100	60	MTX, MMF, IVIg	1000 mg IV × 2 doses	30	1144	Improvement in strength and decline in CK for 9 months
7	1250	60	MTX, MMF	1000 mg IV × 1 dose	N/A	1080	Decline in CK for 5 months
8	3110	60	AZA, MTX, IVIg, plasma exchange	1000 mg IV × 2 doses	15	2100	Modest decline in CK after 6 months with persistent proximal lower extremity weakness

Key: CK=creatinine kinase; MTX=methotrexate; AZA=azathioprine; IVIg=intravenous immunoglobulin; MMF=mycophenylate mofetil; N/A = information not available